Effects of hedgerow pruning height and placement of pruning biomass on soil properties and yield of alley cropped maize in a Flemingia macrophylla (Blume ex Micq) contour hedgerow intercropping system
2001
Gabine, J.A
The 50 cm Flemingia Macrophylla hedgerows had generally higher biomass yield than the 30 cm hedgerows with yield differences of as much as 76.5% and 65.67% over the first and second maize croppings, respectively. However, the 30-cm hedgerows produced herbage with higher % nitrogen while higher potassium content was observed on herbage harvested from the 50 cm-hedgerows. The soil organic matter, soil pH, total nitrogen, available phosphorous and exchangeable potassium were not significantly affected by hedgerows pruning height and herbage placement in the alleys. However, a remarkable increase from the initial soil organic matter and total nitrogen levels in all plots was observed after the second maize cropping, especially on the green manured plots. On the other hand, soil pH, available phosphorous and exchangeable potassium decreased from the initial levels up to the end of the second maize cropping with the changes attributed mainly to plant uptake, addition of organic residues, and other soil biochemical interactions affecting nutrient availability. During the first cropping period, alley cropped maize amended with F. macrophyla herbage as green manure and as a combination of mulch and green manure from the 50 cm hedgerows had relatively higher dry matter yield, NPK concentration and uptake of above-ground parts, and grain yield compared to the other treatment combinations. Similarly, higher grain yields were obtained from plots amended with herbage from the 50 cm hedgerows and applied in the alleys as green manure and as a combination of mulch and green manure during the second maize cropping. The results suggest that 50 cm F. macrophylla hedgerows would favor high biomass production resulting in higher nutrient combination to alley cropped maize. In addition, regardless of the source of the pruning biomass, green manuring and the combination of green manuring and mulching would improve soil chemical properties and the yield of alley cropped maize.
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